My Philosophy

My Massage Philosophy & The Truth About Spas and Massage Franchises

This may sound cheesy, but I really do feel this way about my clients. If you come into my life as a client, it’s because we have something to learn from each other. I don’t heal my clients, my clients heal themselves (and I am simply a guide or a conduit). We have lessons to learn from each other and my challenge is to stay curious and open to receive the lesson.

In more than 5 years of practice, I’ve been fortunate to participate in thousands of massages and I can assure you I remember the lessons learned. I never take for granted that a new client will stay my client…I know I have to earn your trust and keep it – session after session after session.

Why It’s Better To See An Independent Massage Therapist Than Go To A Spa Or Massage Franchise.

Allow me to make my case…the majority of spas that charge $90 or more for a massage pay the therapist $10-20 per hour. Massage therapists can’t physically do 40 hours of massage a week like most people think of a full-time job. In a spa making that kind of wage, a massage therapist will try to do as many hours of massage as possible because we need to eat and put gas in our car.

I’ve seen many therapists try to get as close as possible to 40 hours and end up injuring themselves or burning out of the profession. Many of those injuries have ended their careers. And what kind of quality can the client expect when you are massage #6, #7 or #8 in the therapist’s day? All massage therapists want to do a great job and take care of our clients, but we are only human.

Most spas and massage franchises do a 50-minute massage with a 10-minute break in between sessions (you are paying for it, but are not receiving any “hands on” time!) In that 10 minutes, the massage therapist is supposed to: completely clean and sanitize the room, change the sheets, prep for the next massage. If it’s a different therapy (i.e., get hot stones or aromatherapy or locate body pillows for a pregnant client), complete paperwork, great the next client…and start the process over again. Forget about getting water, using the restroom, eating a quick snack or stretching. Most therapists working in that environment burn out quickly and a lot of great therapists have left the profession because they can’t make a living.

As an independent massage therapist, I can provide better service. I see a maximum of 4-5 people a day so I can give you the best service. The massage will normally begin and end on time, but if it runs a few minutes over, that’s OK, because I don’t have to rush off to the next client.

My incentive is to keep you as my client and develop a long-term relationship. At a spa I will
more than likely never see you again and will never know if your neck stopped hurting or if you continued to have problems with your foot.

Also, the price of the massage is more affordable for you than at a spa because I can offer the
market rate or give a discount and earn all of the money. I can work enough hours to pay my bills without putting myself at risk for injury. Finally, being able to practice in the way I know is best for my clients makes me a happy massage therapist who is able to concentrate fully on my client without any outside concerns. And happy massage therapists have happy clients!